Hospice vs Palliative Care at Home: Which Is Best?
Making the decision to begin end–of-life care is one of the most important choices many families face. Deeply personal and emotional, how and where someone receives end-of-life care is crucial to ensuring they can spend their last days in comfort, surrounded by loved ones. However, many families may struggle to choose between hospice care and palliative care at home. Below, we’ve broken down both options so you can make an informed decision that feels right for your family.
What are the differences between hospice care and palliative care at home?
Hospice and palliative care both focus on comfort and quality of life during end-of-life care, but they are delivered in different settings:
Hospice care
In hospice care, the person receives end-of-life care in a residential setting dedicated to providing this type of support. People will typically move into a hospice setting when active treatment for their illness or condition stops, shifting the priority from cure to comfort and pain management.
Palliative care at home
Palliative care at home enables people to remain in familiar surroundings, with carers providing pain management to maximise their comfort during their final days. Patients receive exactly the same level of care as they would in a residential setting, managing symptoms and pain to ensure their wellbeing. Like hospice care, it often begins once hospital-based treatment has ended, but it is delivered within the patient’s own home.
What are the pros and cons of hospice care?
Receiving end-of-life care in a hospice setting is a common choice for a lot of families. These facilities are dedicated to symptom and pain management, ensuring the patient remains comfortable even after active treatment ends.
One of the main benefits of hospice care is that families can spend time with their loved one in a supported setting, without needing to worry about managing their care needs. This means they can focus on spending meaningful time together, with trained staff on hand to respond to changing symptoms.
However, a significant drawback of hospice care is that the person must stay in a residential setting, rather than returning home. For many, this can feel deeply upsetting, as it means being separated from the home, family, and pets that have been part of their life.
What are the benefits of receiving palliative care at home?
End-of-life care at home allows individuals to spend their last days in the familiar surroundings of their own home, with partners, family, and friends nearby. Specialist palliative carers provide physical, emotional, and psychological support, ensuring the person remains comfortable and calm throughout. With palliative care at home, the level of care can be adapted as needed, from hourly care to 24-hour care and support. By choosing at-home end-of-life care, families benefit from dedicated, one-on-one care, with carers becoming a familiar, trusted presence.
Signs your loved one may benefit from palliative care at home
Palliative care at home may be the right choice for your family if:
- Your loved one has expressed a wish to return home
- They do not enjoy or feel comfortable in care settings
- Their home is already adapted to support their care needs
- Remaining close to family, friends, and pets is important to them
- They prefer a more private, intimate setting for their end-of-life care
Palliative care with Ashridge Home Care
At Ashridge Home Care, we understand that transitioning to end-of-life care is never a decision taken lightly. That’s why our palliative care team provides a holistic approach to end-of-life care that focuses on the individual, rather than the illness. Our carers are trained in-house to provide expert pain and symptom management, as well as companionship and emotional support for both the client and their family.
Whether you need a listening ear, someone to say a prayer with, or uninterrupted time together as a family, our carers are dedicated to preserving your family’s dignity and wellbeing every step of the way.
“Every decision was made with compassion, clarity, and respect. On her last day, her live-in carer played Neil Diamond- her favourite artist. Surrounded by the comforts of home, Mrs. JB passed away peacefully just shy of her 90th birthday.” – Mrs. JB’s Story
If you want to find out more about our approach to palliative care, get in touch today. Our team is here to answer your questions and support you through each stage of the journey.